Week 47, 2022: Development and Testing Updates

Releases

v1.6

Status : :green_circle: Testing in progress

Pl note this is a tentative list of what we expect to be in the final v1.6 release. There could be changes (additions / deletions) based on testing results.

v1.5

Status : :green_circle: Released

Release notes

Feedback on v1.5

  • Share your feedback and vote on v1.5

/e/OS ā€˜Sā€™ builds

Status : :green_circle: Released :new:

/e/OS version : v1.5

Devices that got /e/OS ā€˜Sā€™

  • /e/OS ā€˜Sā€™ is a manual update for users . The exception is the FP4 stable build where the OS upgrade happens OTA.
  • The documentation has been updated to include the links for manually downloading the build.
    • It would require users to sideload the S build.
    • Take a backup of your data before proceeding.

GSI

v1.5

Status: :green_circle: Released

  • Download here
    • Sources available here
    • /e/OS GSI is still on Q
    • S and R version of GSI to be planned based on availability of a developer

OS OTA upgrades

Status: :green_circle: Ongoing

Completed

  • FP3 Q to R stable
  • OnePlus Nord Q to R (stable build)
  • Samsung s7/ s7+
  • Samsung s9 / s9+

Upcoming

  • Samsung s8 /s8+ ( with v1.6 :crossed_fingers: )
    • Pie to S OTA upgrade
    • 2 critical issues were detected with the build. There is an issue around this but it marked internal by the team. Unless resolved we will not be able to release this build. For now the team is working on resolving these issues.
    • ETA : To be announced :crossed_fingers:

FP3 OS OTA Upgrade

  • Q to R OTA OS upgrade builds released with v1.5 on stable builds.
  • Pie to Q or R
    • No OTA OS upgrade. The team encountered an encryption issue which would cause a factory reset.
    • Users will need to use the Easy Installer to help with this update. We will share details as to when the EasyInstaller will be updated to handle this.
    • Users will have to take a backup of their data, as the upgrade will wipe all data before updating.
What we mean by OS OTA upgrade - Click to expand or close

:nerd_face: OTA OS upgrade means the upgrade to a higher OS level. Updates will be delivered Over the Air (OTA). The OTA upgrades are available on official builds only. Users who have unofficial or custom-builds will not get the notification to install the upgrade build. They will have to manually download and flash the Q builds once they are released, which may result in data loss.

Unofficial ROM build refer the section ROM Builders - Unofficial and Custom

Bug clean up !!!

Status: :green_circle: In Progress

Till end of this year, the development team will be focusing on closing out some of the critical bugs in Gitlab. The builds post v1.5 will be coming out early 2023.

Easy Installer updates

Status : :green_circle: Released :new:

The Easy Installer now supports 20 devices, including the FP4


Recent Documentation updates
ROM Builders - Unofficial and Custom
  • Pleas update your Docker image to tne latest image we released
  • Those building using traditional repo sync method refer android_prebuilts_prebuiltapks_lfs
  • You will have to install git-lfs (sudo apt-get install git-lfs)
  • After completing a repo sync, you will have to run repo forall -c ā€˜git lfs pullā€™

:nerd_face: Reason behind these changes:

Due to the large size of the android_prebuilts_prebuiltapks we have switched to using LFS, and now you will need to refer to android_prebuilts_prebuiltapks_lfs

End of official support for Nougat, Oreo and Pie šŸ˜ž For Pie, Oreo and Nougat the official /e/OS support draws to a close.

Reasons for dropping official support are:

  • newly released applications like App Lounge, Advanced privacy code has not been customized for these OS versions.
  • lack of dedicated ROM Maintainers
  • no support upstream (Lineage dropped support for Pie sometime back)
  • device trees will continue to exist in the Gitlab and users with build skills can create custom ROMs on these builds
  • Security patches and vendor patches for the Pie, Oreo and Nougat code will be updated based on availability.

:nerd_face: Google stops security patches for OS after some time. Similarly, Vendors drop support for older models when they release newer models in the market. Then it depends on developers from various communities to backport the patches.

Device and Vendor specific Announcements

:loudspeaker: Gigaset GS290

  • We have stopped the sales of the Gigaset GS290 on the eSolutionsShop as the vendor has stopped production of the device. We will continue support for existing users.

:loudspeaker: Message being shared on the request of our vendor partners

  • Vendors whose phones we sell on our eSolutions Store do not directly sell /e/OS flashed devices.
  • The vendors only sell their devices with their own stock ROM.
  • To get pre flashed /e/OS phones, you have to purchase them from the eSolutions Shop.

:loudspeaker: /e/OS Pre flashed device sales

  • We sell directly in EU, US, Canada.
  • Find details of what devices are available in which countries here eSolutions Shop.
  • In Australia we do not sell directly. You can purchase preflashed /e/OS devices from this site

:loudspeaker: Murena One released
A phone from Murena with /e/OS installed has been launched and is available for purchase. Check the device specs here

Expect more device releases from Murena in future :grinning:

:nerd_face: Murena is the brand name and /e/OS is the operating system.

/e/OS Links

Support

  • Facing issues with devices you purchased from us ? Send a mail with details to helpdesk@e.email

Websites

Telegram Channel

Social Media

Newsletters


Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

9 Likes

Good morning Manoj

Can you add when v1.6 might be released? All devices? Will the release in the new year be v1.7?

Hi! As stated before, the ā€œbuilds post v1.5 will be coming out early 2023.ā€

Cheers

Mind if I ask regarding the FP3 OTA Update.
Iā€™m still on Pie, because I was hoping for the OTA Update, but now that that option is gone, Iā€™m going to have to upgrade manually.
Canā€™t use the Easy Installer, because itā€™s only running on Windows, but Iā€™m on Linux. Shouldnā€™t be a big deal, since I managed to install it manually before (I got mine a couple of weeks before there were FP3 with /e/ preinstalled).

Now the actual question: if I install R manually, I will be able to do the OTA upgrade to S, in case the support for this upgrade would be released for the FP3?
Also, if I have to wipe everything anyway, would it make sense to wait until S is released for the FP3 and the install that?

1 Like

Ahem ā€¦

https://doc.e.foundation/easy-installer-linux

2 Likes

Thanks, somehow I completely missed that. :slight_smile:

I second the question. My girlfriend also has an FP3 with pie.

Hello @Manoj
the bug 2840 (Error message after clean Q install (#2840) Ā· Issues Ā· e / Backlog Ā· GitLab) has been closed automatically although it is not solved.
Is it possible to open it again?
Thanks

Reopened the issue as required. Just saw there were comments on it which were made recently.

2 Likes

thank you very much :+1:

You might already know, but just to make sure: There is a 1.5.1-S dev build for the FP3 already. Perhaps you are waiting for a stable build though.

I recently installed the S-dev build on my FP3+ and cannot complain (apart from the new oversized quick settings icons). It actually seems that Iā€™m getting a slightly longer (perhaps 20-25% extra compared to Q) battery cycle out of it by now. :slight_smile:

And a change seldom mentioned so far, but quite interesting: For the first time, the option to power off or reboot the device is available in the user interface (in the quick settings) without needing the physical buttons on the phone to trigger this.

1 Like

I couldnā€™t bring the /e/OS Exposure Notifications version of microG to work after installing 1.5.1-s-20221103231515-dev-FP3.
And I confirmed this is an Android 12 thing in my case, as it was not related to the ā€œdirtyā€ upgrade I did at first, and the same Exposure Notifications version of microG works on 1.5-r-20221030230467-dev-FP3.

1 Like

Thanks, but Iā€™d rather use the stable series. :wink:
If Iā€™d had a second phone, Iā€™d be happy to play around, but not on this one. :face_with_diagonal_mouth:

btw., I had a look at the Easy Installer for Linux. First, many thanks for actually providing this.
However, since my distribution doesnā€™t support snap, Iā€™d have to set up that first myself.
Itā€™s doable, but overall, itā€™s possibly more work than the manual install, given that I have adb, fastboot etc. already installed. So an answer to my original question would still be appreciated.
Havenā€™t decided yet, which way Iā€™ll choose, though.

" This /e/OS v1.6 includes the Android security patches available until October + CVE-2022-20465."

The latest security patches are from 11/2022, maybe you guys can find a way to include those patches a little faster?

Would be nice to get the latest patches when they become available.

As a small incentive: LineageOS included the patches 5 days after the announcement and I saw some customROMS over at xda which got them right at the next day :smile:

Despite that, keep up the good work! :+1:

I would rather see builds getting a proper test by the /e/ testing team before they released to users :slight_smile:

Lineage OS make nightly builds, and release them every week or so. The /e/ build cycle is a bit slower, for (IMHO) good reasons

2 Likes

Dear Manoj,

Browser not updatedā€¦still not saving passwords.

ā€¦from the above it would seem that the bug was patched in 100.0.4896.92.

Please comment

I have not seen another report regarding this issue. You can raise it in Gitlab and share device and build details. Developers may contact you there for details. Have informed the dev team but an issue will be helpful to track.

2 Likes

Up until yesterday I was also still on Pie and somewhat disappointed not to have an OTA update. Using the Easy Installer Snap on Pop!_OS 22.04, the upgrade was a breeze. It lead me through all the necessary steps and after about 15 mins my phone was up and running again. I just had to restore my backups afterwards, where necessary (Signal, Authy, FairEmail, OpenKeychain).

So just to clarify, because the wording in the OP could be sort of misleading: The Easy Installer can be used to upgrade manually from Pie to R as is - just with the usual PSA that all device data will be wiped and backups should be taken.

Same on lemonade OP9 with 1.6-s testing. Issue raised on gitlab: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/backlog/-/issues/6270

1 Like

In what other way would you understand it? :thinking: